What things in the past 10 years would you change?

Buying as much Microsoft is just as easy as giving your broker a call, but I doubt you would have had time to run Stardock, Ebay, Amazon and Google at the same time! Let's pretend you never ran Stardock, but you could run Ebay, Amazon or Google. Which one would you do and any?

If you're thinking about difficulty, I think Ebay would be the easiest of the three, followed by Google and then Amazon. When you think about it, it's a miracle that Bezos managed to achieve critical mass to get the operation profitable. The logistics involved are considerable.

I disagree, I think it's just a matter of delegation. Amazon, Google, and ebay aren't terribly complicated businesses to "run".

Think what Stardock does already: It runs a growing blog community (JoeUser.com), it runs the most popular customization site in the world (WinCustomize.com), it released a strategy game this year that just won tb strategyg game of the year from Gamespy and was a finalist for strategy game of the year from Gamespot and elsewhere, and is the world's leading software developer/publisher of desktop enhancements. And it does all that on a shoe string.

That's why I picked Google, Amazon, adn eBay. Those are really just 3 "ideas" that took having smart people on hand to execute them at the right time. I'd rather run Stardock than those companies (particularly Amazon and eBay as they were heavily VC funded which would have meant spending a lot of time traveling to talk to investors) but of the 3, I agree, eBay would be the easiest.

The thing you really have to worry about is number 7. Telling the gov. about all that stuff ahead of time is going to get you in a bunch of trouble. They will be all over you and it probly wouldn't prevent any of it from happening.

If only Bill Clinton had had a lock on his zipper and the combination known only to Hillary

I agree with Changeling. The government might think that you were actually involved when those things did happen. You might have to first convince them that you are from the future, so be sure to bring your sports almanac!

I agree with Changeling also. The government's anal retentive. You'd have to find a different way.
At any rate. I'd change nothing. I might buy stock or at the very least, a lottery ticket. But the events of the past decade, although some were horrible, they were necessary changes. Human evolution in behavior and the like. I may night like everything about the world today. I personally think we're all going to kill each other over something stupid....note: The Middle East has been trying for centuries to kill each other off over something stupid. It's a matter of time before we get our turn again.
And ya know, change one detail, go right instead of left back in time, and you don't wind up in the same place, with the same friends. They might be the same people...but the lack of the events or different events..would change them.
Our past shapes our future. And those who don't remember the past...doomed to repeat it.
I've rambled long enough.
Ali-The Misfit Chick

I would fix my dad. Some dumbass doctor and his unprofessional lackeys put my father into a state that he may never recover from. So first I would want to fix my dad and tell him not to have that stupid operation. I don't really care about anything else. Money would be nice. I think.

I'd have gotten better grades in school and gone for a scholarship to get into robotics.

You're not going to see anyone try to playskool electronics in the way that it's happening to (managed) code.

This is an inspirational blog and the number of comments proves its' probative value.
How about :
1.)UN-ELECT William Jefferson Clinton and tell realtors Hillary will color walls with crayons if she moves in high priced joint in New York;
2.)Let South Central Los Angelas, Bloods and Crypts know where the boxcars of cocaine come into Mena, Arkansas;
3) & 4.)Feed the children of the world and all that stuff about investing;
5.)Tell George Bush, Jr. I'm his best friend, and someday want to be, say somthun like, oh, how bout a sort of, a, 'Homeland Security' kind of guy, if he ever becomes President;
6.) Also tell him I'm real good at 'occupation' mil/Corp. Governor of places like, say, Afghanistan, and Iraq where I can control ancient trade routes through passes for heroin, and can manage flow of oil from such places as well, propping up Kurdish rebel outfits as puppet regime for Him, so it will all look like 'democracy' to the American's who will foot the bill for it all;
7.) Go out with Britney Spears and tell her my name is "Poppy Manager" and I'll make her a star if she listens to me alone;
8.)Not brag to people I turn down more women in a day than most men get in a year, and start having sex like a guy who knows he's not going to be getting any when he's 40;
9.) Give Rush Limbaugh my name as a inventor of a diet pill miracle-cure for obesity if he ever wants to go on a diet;
10.)Tell GCJ blogging is a 'L' word thang and don't bother with that part of the internet.

Here's what I would do:
1) realize that getting out of college is a goal, not a given

2) send myself a note to eat less as a younger person, cuz it all showed up later

3) get on the waiting list for oprah giveaway show

oh yeah, and I would have bought stock in starbucks and krispy kreme (were they public 10 yrs. ago?)

1. Tell my dad to use his $2 million US to buy Nokia and Microsoft stock instead of blowing it on various business ventures.
2. Tell myself to do better in school, and stay away from drugs (but would I listen? :))
3. Convince Britney Spears to join a convent.
4. Prevent the 1994 Estonia ferry disaster.
5. Prevent 9/11.
6. Pitch 'The Sims' to Maxis.
7. Save the life of my best friend.

Time-travel..The idea hurts my head.

Send the government a list of "Bad things" that are going to happen such as 9/11, the Columbia explosion, USS Cole, Okalahoma City Bombing, Attack in Indonesia on Australians.


You wouldn't have to War-Dell, they, Republicans, created that list ahead of time, for you_ and have been remarkable in achieveing their aims* and reaching their targets.
Get real.

Check the eye-sight of 3000 seniors of Palm Beach County

I gather we're not worried about causality and time bubble collaspe?

As a physicist I believe in time cones. You can go back in time but you can then never return to the original future and the new future won't repeat the same. Therefore buying stock in the winning companies, is not gaurenteed to win as chance will be different. That idea may not come, that chance meeting may not occur, that person may or may not die, some government official may chance tax laws, ...

Fraid all of my choices would therefore be introducing solutions. Good ideas are always valuable and working in R&D I could use all those money generating solutions and patent them years before the competition.

For example,
a) DFB laser designs (corner telecommunication market)
enhanced piezoelectric tranducer design (corner desktop printing market)
c) high Temperature super conductor materials
d) plastic electronic designs

That's a least 15 billion dollars in royalty payments alone.

The other choices would probably be all about relationships though. Not making that big mistake. Seeing the oppertunity. Taking the chance, etc.

Paul.

Hmmm...

1. create friendster
2. try to have the senate pass a bill where movie stars cant go into politics unless they start as a councilman or woman
3. create maxim
4. tell my younger welf to be more responsible(would never work though=)
5. bet everyone i know for a thousand bucks that tyson would bite holyfield

wrie down all lottery numbers, winning horse names and other stocks to invest in and give it to y past self